Chapter 17: The Test of the Eight
3 |exp = 650 |items = 1 Homgmoon Ring Stage 1, 1 Viridian Poison |previous = The Eight Masters |next = Shroom to Grow }} The Test of the Eight is the seventeenth chapter in Act 1: Into the Woods quest line. Walkthrough Speak with the Eight Masters Actually, just walk into the Cave of Judgement will trigger to speak with Old Man Cho. Speak with Old Man Cho Old Man Cho: "Come here. Hmm. Yes. I'd recognize Jinsoyun's handiwork anywhere. She gave you the Mark of the Black Rose. How'd ya get so unlucky to bump into her?" (She killed Master Hong and my schoolmates.)' Old Man Cho: "Jinsoyun killed Master Hong Sokyun? Oh, my. She's knockin' off the Four Guardians one by one. Can't accuse her of being inefficient. That snake in the grass." (What do you know about the Four Guardians?) Old Man Cho: "Hong the Earthbreaker, Jiwan the Righteous Blade, Mushin the Divine Fistm and Iksanun the Realmwalker. These are the ageless martial arts masters known as the Four Guardians. They banded together, time untoldm to beat the Dark Lord and save the world from darkness. From that point on, they were appointed by the Divine Realm to protect this world from another attack. Hong especially was one tough son of a gun. Great singing voice, too. Anyway, Dark Chi has been seeping out of the ground for a while now. And when the Dark Lord's servant, Jinsoyun, started making a fuss, I figured the Four Guardians would rise up to stamp it out. They never showed, though! It got to a point where the Warring Factions put aside their differences to form the Eight Masters. Their task? Find the Four Guardians, or what's left of 'em. I left the world of warriors, so I've been helping a little on the sidelines. But heck, let them explain the particulars. They get paid more than I do! Heehee!" Speak with the Eight Masters Note: The NPC of the Eight Masters that you need to speak will be different according to the class you're playing. However, the overall objective is still the same. -Assassin- Speak with Myo, the Scarlet Shadow Myo: "That insufferable little creature Cho already spoke to you about us, yes? But he left out the most important part of the story. You! (Let's see what this warrior can do...) I am called the Scarlet Shadow. I am an operative of the Twisted Serpent and a member of the Crimson Legion. That's all you need to know about me. Our mission was to find the FOur Guardians. No small task. Mushin and Jiwan have already shuffled off this mortal coil. And Iksanun has somehow evaded my eye. And so that left Master Hong. But he was defeated despite possessing the Twilight's Edge. That weapon was worth more than everything on that island combined. Anyway, I was just about to ditch these jokers for a disposal job when Madun had one of his "visions." Apparently someone actually survived the massacre on Heaven's Reach. Not only that, but this cockroach was destined to stand against Jinsoyun. Futhermore, this chosen one would meet us here in this disgusting cavern. So we waited. And waited. And waited some more. And then you finally fell into our laps. Literally. Now comes the fun part. The trial. Let's see you put your money where Madun's mouth is. Follow us into the Cavern and the test will begin. I think this is the part where I wish you luck. But I don't. If you require luck to survive a simple test, the entire world is doomed." -Force Master- Speak with Onmyung, the Celestial Force Master Onmyung: "Onmyung, Fifth Chair of the Dohyun Clan and Member of the Cerulean Order, at your service. I have been instructed to give you a timeline and breakdown of the situation. Pay attention because I will only be going over this once. For several years we've been searching for the Four Guardians. Obviously Mushin and Jiwan are unreachable on account of their being deceased. And Iksanun evades us for reasons we cannot fathom. As for Hong, well, you know how that turned out. I once lost a master to an unfortunate accident. It was painful and I truly sympathize. Our mission deemed a failure, our party was preparing to disband when Madun the Mistwalker had a vision: one of Hong's pupils survived. This survivor would one day join battle against Jinsoyun. Before this happens, the pupil in the vision would be coming to this dreary cave in search of our assistance. I believe that brings us to the present. And now we shall put this prophecy to the test. We shall see if you are truly worthy in following the footsteps of the Four Guardians. If you are ready, the test shall commence further in the cavern. Let us see if you are truly the divine flame of prophecy or simply a pretender waiting to be snuffed out." -Blade Dancer- Speak with Gunma, the Starblade Gunma: "I am Gunma, the Northern Starblade of Silverfrost Academy. I am also a member of the Cerulean Order. I think that's enough about me. Master Cho covered most of the information that you need to know, but if you insist on more details, I can oblige. We've been seeking the Four Guardians for years. Unfortunately, Mushin and Jiwan had long since passed away... and Iksanun is nowhere to be found. Your Master Hong was our last hope, but we were too late. It is regrettable that your clan brothers and sisters were not strong enough to protect their master from harm. We were about to give up but then Madun the Mistwalker had a vision: one of Master Hong's pupil survived the attack. Madun prophesized that this Jyan would one day do battle with Jinsoyun and the Dark Lord. His prophecy also stated that this pupil would come here in need of our help. And then we waited here for you to show up. Really took your time getting here, huh? I must admit I have my doubts about you ability to follow in the footsteps of the Four Guardians. Blindly trusting a prophecy is just as bad as ignoring it completely. We have prepared a series of tests for you in the following cavern. If you are indeed the chosen one, you will pass. if you are not, then we shall seek out someone else. Preferably someone who knows how to properly wield a blade." -Kung Fu Master- Speak with Taywong, the Southern Tiger Taywong: "Hey there, champ! I'm Taywong, of the Namdo Clan and the Crimson Legion. Some folks like to call me the Southern Tiger. Did Old Man Cho fill you in on our little deal? I'm guessin' he left some stuff out. Let's see if ol' Taywong can fill in those blanks. My comrades and I are tryin' to hunt down the Four Guardians. Sadly, we discovered that both Mushin and Jiwan have long since passed on. And we couldn't find hind nor head of Iksanun. We were hopin' to meet up with your Master Hong but... I'm sorry, Jyan. We were not fast enough. it was all over by the time we got up to that floatin' isle. I'll admit, it was a dark time. But crazy old Madun had a vision. He said someone managed to survive the Hongmoon School massacre. That this survivor would rise up and defeat Jinsoyun and her Dark Lord! And this survivor, this child of prophecy, he needed our help. Madun said we have to meet him in this very cavern on this very day. And it all worked out! Here you are and here we are! Now before we go off and start pinnin' victory medals on one another, we gotta see if you can cut the mustard, so to speak. We got a test. Should be no problem for a warrior of destiny like yourself. Just follow ol' Taywong and we'll get you started on this test. I'm pretty sure you're gonna pass with flyin' colors, my friend. And then the real challenge begins..." Speak with Hansu After the end of the conversation, Hansu appear and ask for a challenge. Defeat him and speak with him. Hansu: "So how was meeting the Council of Eight? You can learn much from them. They represent some of the strongest champions in the Earthern Realm. Unfortunately, even their combined mightis no match for Jinsoyun and her forces of darkness. They're going to need you to reach your potential. Never forget this. Well, I think that's enough talk for now. Are you ready for the Gate of Heaven? The goal is simple. Defeat all enemies awaiting in the Gate before they kill you. Best of luck." Defeat the Cursed Training Dummies Defeat 6 Cursed Training Dummies. Speak with Sansu After the end of the conversation, Sansu appear and ask for a challenge. Defeat him and speak with him. Sansu: "My associate, Hansu, speaks highly of you. He says you have much potential. But do not let your guard down. Behind me lies the Gate of Hell, the final test. As with the previous gate, destroy all enemies yo uencounter before they destroy you. Do not disappoint us." Defeat the Wandering Training Dummies Defeat 9 of the Wandering Training Dummies. Talk to Old Man Cho at the Cave of Judgement after completing the "The Call of the Warring Factions" quest. Old Man Cho: "You made the right choice. Or, the wrong choice, who knows? Now hurry! Meet with the Eight Masters!" Speak with the Eight Masters Note: The NPC of the Eight Masters that you need to speak will be different according to the class you're playing. However, the overall objective is still the same. -Assassin- Speak with Myo, the Scarlet Shadow Myo: "I'm going to do something I rarely do: confess the truth. That test was not difficult. The test of strength was only one purpose for the exercise. The real reason for the trial was to unblock you Chi to reach your full potential." (What do you mean?) Myo: "Those dummies had a special incantation placed on them before the trial. Every thrust of your dagger got you closer and closer to unblocking your Chi. Unfortunately, the process was only a partial success. (Could this warrior really be the one?)" (Did I learn anything at all?) Myo: "Why yes! Press the K key. This'll bring up a summary of what new skills you have available as well as ones you've already learned. I could tell you the best course of training, but where's the fun in that? As your levels increase, you will learn more about the ways of the Assassin. Aren't you glad you came? Unfortunately, I think that's all the fun we're going to have today, my darling. You must enter the shadows alone. If you still need assistance, speak with Old Man Cho." -Force Master- Speak with Onmyung, the Celestial Force Master Onmyung: "As you no doubt suspect, that trial was not as challenging as it could be. I'm afraid we've withheld the truth from you. The Gates of Heaven and Hell were twofold in purpose. One, it was a test of basic strength and ability. Two, and most important, it server as a way to heal your damaged chi." (What do you mean?) Onmyung: "Those dummies were designed to open up your blocked chi. Each blast of fire and ice chipped away at the corruption in your Chi. Unfortunately, this process was only partially successful. (Could this warrior really be the one?)" (Did I learn anything at all) Onmyung: "Press the K key to take stock of your skills and assess which ones can be improved. The decision on which areas to focus are yours alone. As your level increase, you'll ultimately gain access to more and more skills. I believe this conclude the Eight Masters' business with you. Seek out Master Cho if you have any further questions. (Maybe one day this fight will be over...)" -Blade Dancer- Speak with Gunma, the Starblade Gunma: "You looked puzzled. Were you expecting more of a challenge in the test? Well, you're not wrong. The dummies were aptly named. We have not been completely honest with you. Yes, it was a test of strength. But it was mostly a test of soul. The trials were designed to heal your damaged Chi." (What do you mean?) Gunma: "An incantation was placed on the dummies. Each thrust and parry of your blade helped to open your blocked Chi, bit by bit. Unfortunately, your efforts were insufficient and your Chi is still partially blocked. (Could this warrior really be the one?)" (Did I learn anything at all?) Gunma: "Anyway, let's see what you've learned. Press the K key to see what skills you can improve. What skills you choose to train are up to you. As your level increases, you'll remove more of the blocks in your Chi and gain access to more trainable skills. There is nothing more the Eight Masters can do for you. Your fate is in your hands. Master Cho can tell you more about the Martial Secrets. Good fortune, Jyan. (Maybe one day this fight will be over...)" -Kung Fu Master- Speak with Taywong, the Southern Tiger Taywong: "Admit it, that wasn't the workout you expected. The dummies were too dumb? The Gates of Heaven and Hell not living up to the name? Well, you're right. Yes, it was a test of strength. But the trial was also a way to heal your damaged Chi! Admit it, you're feeling a lot better!" (What do you mean?) Taywong: "Every punch and kick on those dummies brought you incrementally closer to reaching your full potential! Remarkable. Unfortunately, we only won the battle, not the war. Your Chi is still partially blocked, Jyan. (Could this warrior really be the one?)" (Did I learn anything at all?) Taywong: "Press the K key. You will be given a breakdown of your skills and how they can improve. The choice is entirely yours how to progress. And as you level up, you'll remove more of those pesky blocks on your Chi and gain access to even more skills. You'll be ready to go the distance against Jinsoyun in no time. Well, Jyan, that's all we can do for you. The rest is up to you. If you need some more advice, Master Cho probably has a few tips he can share about the various Martial Secrets. Happy hunting, champion. (I wait for that day to come.)" Reward * 1 Element of Training * 1 Twist of Fate costume (select one) Listen to Old Man Cho explain the Martial Tome Old Man Cho: "So, feeling good? Feeling prepared? Did the Eight Masters do their thing? Good. Now let me give you a couple tips. Pressing the K key will open your Martial Tome. There, you'll see the paths to improve your skills or even learn new skills. If you want to learn a skill--and hey, who doesn't?--left-click on the skill. Then press the Learn button on the bottom. Then, by the power of the Ploggles--or somethin like that-- you'll have the skill. Which skills you choose to learn is entirely up to you, so don't ask. The higher your level, the more skills you can learn. And if I haven't excited you yet, you need to find a different career. Got it? Now, open you book and start your training." Final Reward * 1 Hongmoon Ring Stage 1 * 1 Viridian Poison * Money 1 3 * XP 650 Journal Summary In the beginning, the Dark Realm's foul lord gazed upon the Earthen Realm's beauty and becamme hateful and jealous. Four legendary and immortal warriors--The Four Guardians--were given divine powerand entrusted to safeguard the Earthen Realm from the Dark Lord's wrath. They were Jiwan, the righteous blade; Mushin, the Divine Fist; Iksanun, the Realmwalker; and Hong Sokyun, the Earthbreaker. Such was the legend. But at a time when Dark Chi poisoned the air and Dark Realm fiends threatened the land, the Four Guardians were nowhere to be found. It was up to the Warring Faction--the Cerulean Order and the Crimson Legion--to put aside their differences if there was to be any hope for the Earthern Realm. Clans would need to come together, to choose the very best martial artists among them, in a desperate bid to locate the Guardians and put an end to the Dark Lord's invasion. These chosen men and women would become known as the Eight Masters. Category:Act 1